You may well have read the MAIB report on the MV Orade (grounding in the River Humber). The report refers to the QinetiQ Centre for Human Sciences. The CHS has produced a program for the airline industry called the System for Aircrew Fatigue Evaluation (SAFE). This program was used to evaluate both the Master’s and the Pilot’s hours in the Orade incident. Another company called Interdyne (Australian) has produced a program called Fatigue Audit InterDyne (FAID). I have used both programs to evaluate pilots’ rostering arrangements.
Fatigue manifests itself through stress. Classic indicators are irritability, forgetfulness, failure to complete routine tasks correctly and lack of awareness.
If seafarers’ hours were put through either of the above systems, I would expect frequent breaches of recommended fatigue levels; thus indicating a widespread problem. I talked with some airline pilots and they, and their Head of Scheduling were horrified at the sort of hours seafarers work.
Work carried out by QinetiQ for the Royal Navy (1990’s so maybe a little out of date) suggested that where there is a need to put a ship on enhanced alert level (called Defence Watches, with 50% of crew on watch), a long/short watch rotation is better than periods of equal rest and duty such as 6 on/off or 12 on/off. Consequently 7 on/5 off then 5 on/ 7 off was in vogue. The logic does make sense.
In short, I would say that the Marine industry, via IMO should embrace the work done in the subject of sleep deprivation and its effect on performance and stress, and adopt a program of the type I have mentioned. The science behind the SAFE program is impressive, but of course there are other research facilities in the world, and doubtless other programs. A mixture of practical observations (long-haul pilot evaluation) and sleep laboratory data is amalgamated in the program.
Guidelines can have much greater force if they are derived or backed up by hard fact. |
 |
